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Wilier Triestina, the 110-year-old Italian bicycle manufacturer, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Giro d’Italia with a custom painted edition of their Cento10AIR aero road bike.
The bike, to be ridden by Filippo Pozzato during the opening stages of the race, has been made with a chrome plated copper finish.
Wilier pioneered the chrome plated painting procedure in 1947, when the ramato bicycle launched. The use of a galvanizing process was a first for the bike industry, and also required the first use of a clear coat on a bicycle to protect the finish.
The original bikes were finished with gold decals painted by hand using a fine horsehair brush. The special finish was seen again in 2016 with the release of the retro inspired Superleggera.
The Cento10AIR launched in early 2017 as an aero bike designed for all-around riding. Utilising National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics tube dimensions, drag was cut by eight per cent compared to Wilier’s first aero bike, the Cento1AIR. The bike also comes in 200g lighter than its predecessor and can accept 28mm tires.
Bringing the ramato finish to the Cento10AIR completes the circle for Wilier, who uses its 110 years of racing heritage as the backbone for each successive innovation. The copper finish on the new Cento10AIR is a direct connection between modern racing bicycles and the skilled craftsmen who brought the original ramato bicycle to life.
